Onyx's BOOX Note Air4 C launches with performance upgrades, new software but same price tag

Hot on the heels of Amazon who recently announced a handful of new Kindles, Onyx has unveiled the BOOX Note Air4 C, a successor to the BOOX Note Air3 C and a rival to the Kindle Scribe.

If you are familiar with BOOX's naming pattern, then you know that the C in the device's name means it has a color display. The BOOX Note Air3 C has a variant with a black and white screen called the BOOX Note Air3, so there's a possibility that the Note Air4 C will get a similar treatment.

The BOOX Air4 C has the same 10.3'' Kaleido 3 Carta 1200 display as its predecessor despite the claim that it offers brighter white and softer color tones. It can display 4,096 colors, has a 300ppi B/W resolution, and 150 ppi color resolution.

What BOOX has upgraded is the processor. While it doesn't specify which chipset it is, the Qualcomm octa-core processor reportedly brings a 50% increase in performance over the chipset in its predecessor. The RAM has also been bumped up from 4GB to 6GB but storage remains 64GB (UFS 2.2). There's a microSD card slot for adding up to an additional 2TB of storage.

Thanks to the new processor which brings a new modem, the BOOX Air4 C now has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. It also comes with Android 13, unlike its predecessor which shipped with Android 12.

The new version of Android comes with an updated custom software (v4.0) on top which brings new advanced tools for note-taking, templates, and drawing tools such as a Shape Tool that makes it easier to edit shapes. There's also what it calls Smart Scribe-Tools that help users turn their ideas into detailed sketches. Since the device runs on Android, users can install third-party apps from the Google Play Store.

The Note Air4 C also has stereo speakers, dual microphones, OTG support, and a fingerprint scanner buried under the power button. There's also a G-sensor for auto rotation. BOOX is keeping the 3,700mAh battery capacity of the previous generation and it supports 15W wired charging via USB-C.

The BOOX Note Air4 C is priced at €549.99 in Europe, the same launch price as the Note Air3 C. It is also available in the US for $499.99. Included in the box is a magnetic protective case and the BOOX Pen stylus which magnetically attaches to the side. It is already available for order on the BOOX online shop and on Amazon in the US.

While the Note Air4 C is significantly more expensive than the Kindle Scribe 2024 (available to pre-order on Amazon for $399), Amazon's note-taking eReader has a monochrome display, 16GB of storage (the 64GB version costs $449.99), no storage expansion slot, lacks Wi-Fi 6 support, and doesn't come with a protective case. There's also no option to install apps on it.